Germs
by Spoot Poot
Summary: Ed catches something while trudging though a sewer. Cautionary tale...


Spoot: you know how this goes!

Ed: O.o no way!

Spoot: Yes WAY!

Germs

Ed didn't like being here, in the sewer. But unfortunately, he was on another wild goose chase. He was looking around in the darkness for Al, who went chasing after Envy only moments ago. This place was annoying, and stinky and full of hideous things, like...RATS! Ed jumped and shivered when a wet rat ran across his foot, he freaked and kicked it. He shivered when it let out a little squeak.

"Brother!" Ed looked up from studying the now, dead, rat. Was that Al? well, who else would it be! "AL!" Ed yelled. "Follow my voice Al!" it was quiet for a moment, then Al yelled out in fear. "Damn it!" Ed shouted, taking of in a sprint. Trying to follow the sound. on his way, the small torch he had, flickered .and went out. Ed was in mid sprint when this happened, and the poor pipsqueak ran flat face into a wall, falling back into the disgusting sewer water.

"Brother? BROTHER!" Ed opened his eyes. Al had his hand on the back of his brother's head, holding it up. How many armored brothers did Ed have at this point...about 3. "Al?" he mumbled. "Thank god you're ok!" Al shouted, helping him sit up. "What happened?" Ed asked, realizing he was covered in muck. He could feel that his face was wet with sewer water...but absent minded, he licked his lips, as an impulse. then his face went green.

"I guess you hit your head." Al said, pulling the other boy to his feet. "I think I just swallowed sewer water Al..." Ed said, trying to dry his face with his sleeve...only to make it more of a wet mess. "YUCK! And Dont do that!" Al shouted, pulling on Ed's arm. "UGHYUHHHKAAAH!" Ed snapped, his exasperation justified. being covered in muck was not on his agenda today, yet here he was! "We need to get outta here...I need a shower and a hot meal...did you get Envy?" Al nodded, Thankful he didn't hafta feel slimy sewer water...

Al heard the noise, but was unsure of what it was. it sounded like a dog, whimpering in the nigh. Al did not sleep, so he knew all that went on during the night. He got up from his place on the floor. He went for the front door, when he heard it again, coming from Ed's room.

Al open the door, slowly. Ed was on his back in bed, fast asleep. His hair sprawled out over the pillow, his arms above his head. His mouth was wide open. He seemed fine, so Al thought, then Ed turned over. He looked wet. He was covered in sweat. He made an unnatural noise, Like a dog in distress. Was he dreaming? Al stepped further in the room, to get a better look at his brother.

Al nearly ducked to hide when Ed sat up suddenly in bed, wide awake. "Brother?" Al asked. Ed looked surprized. Thats when his cheeks puffed out. "Brother are you-" Ed cupped a hand over his mouth and jumped from the bed, making a mad dash for the bathroom. Leaving Al in a bit of a stupor. Uh oh...

"I wish I could help, I really do, but as you can see, I'm a bit busy..." Mustang said, sitting at his desk. Al was standing before him, holding some papers. Mustang had given them to him, sarcastically, stating it was a gift. Al had explained to Roy, Ed's night. All night, Al found himself rushing into Ed's room, over and over again, when Ed would call out to him, or yell out in general. A fever had broke out on the poor kid, leaving him most of the time in the bathroom.

"Well, could you at least send a doctor?" Al asked. Roy shook his head. "Booked because of the last outburst from Scar. Like I said, I wish I could help. look, Just do the paper work for him, I'm sure he'll be fine."

Al stepped into the room, and looked on at a dosing Ed. He was sleeping soundly. Al had made him some peppermint tea, good for tummy trouble, he remembered that from his mother. Something Ed knew nothing about! Take that Berrie! Ed rolled over to his other side. Al knew his brother shouldn't really sleep on his port, he would be sore...but, Al dare not wake him. not after last night.

"WHAAAAAAAAAT!"

Al pulled the phone away from his ear. Winry had a pair of lungs on her. He put the phone back up to his ear, and spoke. "Yeah, It's pretty bad too, and I don't really know what I'm doing-"

"How did this happen!" She shouted.

"I'm not sure, but we were in the sewer last night...OH! He got a mouth full of sewer water!"

"AAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!"

"I'm sorry! Winry? Winry?"

The other line was dead.

"I want you to kill me..." Ed said. His voice low, he was out of breath. Al looked into the room, he was sitting in the hall way, watching his brother empty his stomach. "Brother, don't talk like that..." He said softly. Ed looked over at him from his position over the toilet. he went to speak again, but found himself hunching over said toilet, and retching. If armor could cringe...

Thats when They both heard Winry yell out for them. Al Shot upright to a stand. He knew Ed would be mad. Ed pulled his head out of the toilet and yelled, "In here!" Al looked over at his brother, He wasn't mad. instead he seamed releaved. When Winry appeared, She was in a state of calm. She walked over to Ed, grabbed up a wash cloth, and began to clean him.

"I'm just glad you're here." Al said. Winry looked over at him with a smile. "Well, Thank god you called. He has a bad stomach bug, probably from the sewer water." Al felt releaved. Winry was a mechanic, but her parents were doctors, so she knew what she was doing. Winry placed the cool, wet, wash cloth on Ed's brow. Ed opened his eyes to look at her. "My hero..." he said in a soft voice. Winry just giggled.

Al sat up when he heard a loud, un-godly, noise. He jumped to his feet, rushing to the sound. on his way, he glanced at the clock, almost 2 in the morning. He nearly ran into Winry, She was guarding Ed's door. "What was that?" He asked. Winry shook her head. "Winry! What was that!" he heard the noise again, from Ed's room. But when he went to open the door, Winry stopped him. "I wouldn't." She said, "He's sick in there."

Al became confused. "Shouldn't he be doing that in the bathroom?" He asked, tilting his head. "He would, if he could get to it. He can't really get out of bed, Al. He's got a pail in there." Al lowerd his head. "Oh..." he said softly. Then he looked up. "Well, What do we do?" Winry raised her shoulders, and shook her head. "Just let him be, for now. I know, he needs rest, and when he's done in there, I'm gunna help him get some." She said, then placed her ear on the door, sure enough, he called out to her. "Al, let me handle this, ok." She said, entering Ed's room. Al sighed, and walked away.

"You ok?" She asked, entering the room, and closing the door softly. Ed was laying on his side, he was covered in perspiration, and looked pale. He looked up at her, and smiled. "I'm ok..." He said, rolling on to his back. Winry knew what that meant. She sat on his bed, and reached over, and began to rub his stomach, softly.

"Soft kitty, worm kitty, little ball of fur...Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purrrr..." She sang. Ed's eyes drooped a bit, shutting slowly. "Again..." He said, in a groggy voice. Winry smiled, and began the song over again. This was one of those moments Winry wished would never end. As she sang to him, and rubbed his 'tum-tum'. She loved moments like this. He was so sweet when he wanted to be.

Another hour had passed, and Al became almost irate. Just sitting was getting to him! He wanted to know how Ed was doing. he knew it was almost 3, but he had to see for himself.  
He walked as quietly as he could, but there was Winry, sitting in a dining chair, by the door. She was asleep, until he came up.

"You're loud you know." She said. "Clank clank clank." Al became a bit angry. "Like I can help it!" he shouted, slamming his hand into his own chest. "Al! I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that! I'm really sorry. I guess I'm just tried." Al calmed down, knelt by her, and grabbed up her hands. "Take a nap. I got it from here." he said. She smiled, and nodded.

Al stepped into the room, as quiet as he could. he lowered himself to the floor, and crawled to a good spot, then just sat there. Looking on at Ed. The said boy was fast asleep, mumbling about fish. Al almost laughed. Ed rolled over, and opened his eyes. "how long was I out?" He asked in a groggy voice. "I'm not sure, maybe an hour?" Al said softly. Ed went to sit up, but Al was right there to stop him. "Al..." Ed warned. Al Looked at him. He was a bit annoyed. "I'm sorry brother, but you really shouldn't get up."

Al looked down into the bucket. if he could vomit, he would have. The insides of Ed's guts were disgusting. "Al, I need to pee..." Al looked back at his brother. "I'm sorry. you need help?" he asked. Ed didn't want to admit it...but he nodded after a moment of hesitation. The room was on a roll, and his bladder was about to explode.

"How is he feeling?" Mustang asked. He was sitting at the table with Al and Winry. Morning had come for them. Winry was tired, and out of sorts, and Al seemed worried. "should I even expect an answer?" He said. Winry perked up. "Sorry Colonel Mustang, sir! I'm just tired. Uh, he's feeling a lot better now." Al looked over at Winry. Was she worried? "Well, I'm here to let you know we have a doctor free if you want one."

"well, He seems-" Al began, but Winry cut him off. "THAT WOULD BE GREAT!" She snapped. Mustang nodded, then asked to use the phone. When mustang walked into the other room, Al apprehended Winry. "What are you doing? I thought you said he was fine!" He snapped, grabbing up her arm

"He is, but I can't handle this! I can't handle seeing him like this!I hate to say this, but I can't deal with sick people! He threw up on me last night! Al, do you know what that's like!" Al nodded. "He threw up in my helmet once...and once inside my armor, and once on my feet...and once when we were kids-"

"Thank you Al, I get it!" Winry snapped, holding up a hand. Al shrugged. "suet yourself." He said, looking up at Mustang, returning to the room. "A nurse will be here soon." He said, sitting back down, and looking over at the two. They sat in silence for a moment, then Mustang spoke. "Well, isnt anyone gunna offer me a drink?"

"I understand! I really do! but I just need to check your- AAAAHHHH!" an object flew, making the nurse duck, she was almost hit. "GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!" Ed shouted. The nurse only wanted to check his temp, rump style. and when she tried, he became unmanageable. She stood up, and looked over at him. "I'm gunna need you to calm down, you'll only make yourself worse!"

Ed layed down, feeling the room tilt. his stomach forbid him to stay down to long. He ended up leaning over the bedside, and emptying the contents into the bucket. The nurse sighed, and stepped closer. "You have quite a temper, don't you." She said. She reached down and rubbed soothing circles on his back as he heaved. when he finished, he slapped her hand away, and layed down on the forgiving bed. thank god for goose feathers!

The nurse entered the living area. Al and Winry stood up fast. "well," She let out in a sigh. "His fever is fairly high. but he seems stable. it's for sure, a virus, brought on by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium" The two kids looked at each other, then back at her. "What is that!" Al snapped. "generally found in rats." She finished.

"Is it fatal?" Asked Winry. The nurse walked over and sat down. "No, not in his case anyway. it usually lasts about 7 days. He's on, what? Day two? The upcoming days are gunna be tough. diarrhea , vomiting...you name it." Al looked over at Winry. "You know how I wanna be involved in everything?" Winry nodded. "Well, count me out!" He snapped.

"Ed? you ok in there?" Winry asked, she was standing by the bathroom door. it was midnight. "GO AWAY!" Ed shouted. When Winry heard the sound in his voice, she panicked. He sounded scared. She knocked on the door. "GOOOO AAAAWWWWAAY!" He yelled at the top if his lungs. then she got a whiff. diarrhea had set in...

Day three came and went, with Ed's time being spent in the bathroom. Winry's time was spent trying to keep him hydrated. Day four was a challenge. The "Runs" had subsided some. But from the way Ed explained it, his guts were on fire.

Winry sat on the bed with him. trying her best to calm him. She placed a cool cloth in his brow, but he rolled over, wrapping his arms around his stomach. He was in tears, it seemed. "Make it stop!" he whined. "Oh, Ed...I wish I could." She said, reaching over and rubbing his arm. "I'm dying!" He moaned. He rolled over to his other side, still clutching his stomach. he sat up some, and leaned over the bed, and heaved into the pail. Winry could do nothing, except rub his back as best she could.

"Is now a good time?" Winry looked up, to see Riza in the doorway. "Not really." She said. Riza nodded. "should I come back later then?" she asked. "I suppose its to late now." Winry said. Ed leaned back onto the bed, and rolled over, shoving his face in the pillow, and letting out a moan. "Sounds bad." said Riza. "But I brought some tea, and crackers."

"Oh, thank you so much! you hear that Ed?" Winry began, Ed pushed his face further into the pillow. "Shuuut uuuuup..." He moaned. "Stomach cramps." Winry said simply. Riza nodded. "Shuuuut...uuuuup..." Ed moaned again. "Geeet ouuuut!" Riza smiled, excused herself with a "Feel better Ed" then she was gone.

"I suppose this would teach you to play with rats. I just don't understand why you touched it!" Mustang spoke, almost angrily to Ed. he was sitting in the boy's room, watching over him While Al went on a job with Riza, and Winry got some much needed rest. It was day 6. Ed's stomach gurgled. he was looking into the bucket. "I wasn't playing with it! I killed it." he vomited. "Egh...well, you still touched it." Mustang said, covering his eyes.

Ed layed down, and looked over at Mustang. "I only poked it...then...rubbed my face...ugh...I'm gunna die..." He said, covering his face with his arm. "Should have never touched it." Mustang said in a condescending tone. "You know, you're not exactly helping!" Ed snapped. Mustang giggled. "I'm sorry, you're right." Mustang sat back some. "I'm not very good at this, am I..."

Ed looked over at him, unamused. "No...not really...but, I suppose you are trying...I can tell Hawkeye you did at least that." Mustang looked cheerful. "That would help me out a lot."

"Help you out how? Ah...you know what, never mind...I don't wanna know, I don't think I'm old enough." Ed said, rolling over on his side. Hes stomach had begun to hurt again. Roy could tell this was unpleasant for him. for more than one reason. It was embarrassing, sure. But the fact that it was his own fault...made it worse. Plus the fact that he was as sick as he was. then having to rely on others. "I'm gunna try to take a nap...show yourself out." He mumbled. Roy stood up. "If you need anything, I'll be in the living room." He said, then stepped out, letting the other boy rest easy.

"I don't care! I want MUSTANG!" Ed shouted. Winry looked shocked. "I'M TIRED OF EVERYONE BUGGING ME!" day 8, he was feeling a tad better, and his fever was down. but he was still feeling bad. Mustang had cared for him for the past 2 days, and now that Winry was back, he seemed unhappy about it.

"Mustang went home!" Winry shouted, dodging a pillow being flung at him. "Get him back! He doesn't bother me like you do!" he swung his pillow again, hitting Winry in the head. Making her squeak and stumble. "Ed...please...just..." Winry tugged and got the pillow from Ed. "Just, let me take care of you!" Ed sunk into the bed, and crossed his arms. he refused to speak. Winry just smiled. "I can deal with that!" she said, tossing the pillow in his face, and leaving the room.

Mustang looked up when he heard a knock at the door. "It's open." He called, and in walked Ed, looking better than ever. he had something in his hands. a box. Mustang looked confused. "Come on in, have a seat. you look well." Ed sat down. "I feel better..." He said softly. His eyes looked amused. "Whats in the box?" Mustang asked. Ed smiled wickedly, and placed the box on his desk, then got up and left the room with a chuckle. Mustang flipped the top off with his pen, and cringed. inside the box, was a dead rat.

Spoot: I know! I jacked 'Soft Kitty' and there's nothing anyone can do about it!

Ed: I could just tell Sheldon...

Spoot: don't you dare get him up this late! he will kill us all!


End file.
